Posts Tagged ‘Cursing

Our tongues are capable of such greatness. We can utter prayers to our Father in Heaven on behalf of loved ones who are sick or in distress. We can sing majestic hymns and powerful songs of praise to our God. We can tell people about the good news of Jesus Christ and see them come to faith in Him. Yet, in the very next breath, we can tear people to shreds with insults, gossip and backstabbing. This is what James says:

With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness.10 Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. – James 3:9-10 (NIV)

All people are made in the image of God. When you insult and put down a human being, you are insulting our Creator. James says that when we praise God out of one side of our mouths and curse His most prized creation out of the other, it is like a fresh water spring producing salt water or a fig tree bearing olives or a grapevine producing figs. It just doesn’t make sense. So be careful little tongue what you say. God loves people and if you love God, you should love people too. Let your words reflect the love you have for both.

Like this:

With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness.10 Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be.11 Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring?12 My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.

I live near Chicago and when people tell me that they can be both a Cubs fan and a fan of my Chicago White Sox, I look at them like they have a third eye growing out of their head. What are you saying?!? That is impossible! It just cannot be!

The tongues of humans are capable of such great beauty. We get together on a Sunday morning and we sing praises to our Lord Jesus. Whether it is a classic hymn from the past that we know by heart or a new song of praise from the present we are learning, we praise God with our tongues in wonderful ways.

Then, when the service is over, we walk out of the worship center and our tongues do a 180. We’ll gossip about the person down the row from us. We’ll whisper insults about the way someone was dressed. We’ll say horrible things about the people with whom we just worshiped the Lord. James says that this should not be! We’re awful, aren’t we? We love to sing songs of praise and to utter inspiring prayers that reach the throne room of Heaven, but then we turn around and curse, insult and gossip about God’s people.

Our tongues are capable of such beauty in one moment and such terrible things in the next. The problem is that we don’t watch what we’re saying. We’re not guarding our hearts. What comes out of our mouths is a direct reflection of what is in our hearts. Jealous words come from a jealous heart. Insecure words flow from an insecure heart. Gossip comes from a tongue fueled by a heart that is focused on the wrong things.

Think about what you’re saying today. Keep praising the Lord who is worthy of all glory and honor, but do not allow your tongue to curse those made in His image.

PRAYER: Father God, You are great and awesome. Your name is holy. I praise and thank You today for all that You have done, all that you’re doing and for all You have promised to do. Help me to keep a tight rein on my tongue. Help me to see the best in people and to love them with my heart and not curse them with my tongue. I cannot do this without You and Your grace. I ask this all in the name of Jesus, my Lord. Amen.